Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

An estimation of Canadian population exposure to cosmic rays from air travel

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Radiation and Environmental Biophysics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Based on air travel statistics in 1984, it was estimated that less than 4 % of the population dose from cosmic ray exposure would result from air travel. In the present study, cosmic ray doses were calculated for more than 3,000 flights departing from more than 200 Canadian airports using actual flight profiles. Based on currently available air travel statistics, the annual per capita effective dose from air transportation is estimated to be 32 μSv for Canadians, about 10 % of the average cosmic ray dose received at ground level (310 μSv per year).

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Bottollier-Depois JF, Beck P, Bennett B, Bennett L, Bütikofer R, Clairand I, Desorgher L, Dyer C, Felsberger E, Flückiger E, Hands A, Kindl P, Latocha M, Lewis B, Leuthold G, Maczka T, Mares V, McCall MJ, O’Brien K, Rollet S, Rühm W, Wissmann F (2009) Comparison of codes assessing galactic cosmic radiation exposure of aircraft crew. Radiat Prot Dosim 136:317–323

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chen J, Timmins R, Verdecchia K, Sato T (2009) An estimation of Canadian population exposure to cosmic rays. Radiat Environ Biophys 48:317–322

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • European Commission (2004) Cosmic radiation exposure of aircraft crew. Compilation of measured and calculated data. Final report of EURADOS WG5. Radiation Protection 140

  • International Commission on Radiation Units and Measurements (2010) Reference data for the validation of doses from cosmic-radiation exposure of aircraft crew. ICRU Report 84, Joint report of the ICRU and the ICRP. J ICRU 10(2)

  • Lewis BJ, Bennett LGI, Green AR, Butler A, Desormeaux M, Kitching F, McCall MJ, Ellaschuk B, Pierre M (2005) Aircrew dosimetry using the predictive code for aircrew radiation exposure (PCAIRE). Radiat Prot Dosim 116:320–326

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) (2012) Solar cycle prediction. Available at: http://solarscience.msfc.nasa.gov/predict.shtml

  • National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements (1987) Exposure of the population in the United Sates and Canada from natural background radiation. NCRP Report 94, Bethesda, USA

  • Statistics Canada (2011) Population by year, by province and territory (number). Available at: http://www.statcan.gc.ca/tables-tableaux/sum-som/l01/cst01/demo02a-eng.htm. Accessed 16 July 2012

  • Statistics Canada (2012a) Table 401-0013 Domestic and international itinerant movements, by type of operation, airports with NAV CANADA towers, monthly (number), CANSIM (database). Available at http://www5.statcan.gc.ca/cansim/a26?lang=eng&retrLang=eng&id=4010013&paSer=&pattern=&stByVal=1&p1=1&p2=38&tabMode=dataTable&csid=. Accessed 16 July 2012

  • Statistics Canada (2012b) Table 401-0001 Number of international travellers entering or returning to Canada, by type of transport, monthly (persons). Available at: http://www5.statcan.gc.ca/cansim/. Accessed 16 July 2012

  • United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (2000) UNSCEAR 2000 Report. Annex B, Exposures from natural radiation sources

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Radiation Protection Bureau, Health Canada, 2720 Riverside Drive, Ottawa, K1A 0K9, Canada

    Jing Chen & Dustin Newton

Authors
  1. Jing Chen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Dustin Newton
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jing Chen.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Chen, J., Newton, D. An estimation of Canadian population exposure to cosmic rays from air travel. Radiat Environ Biophys 52, 59–64 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00411-012-0444-7

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00411-012-0444-7

Keywords

Search

Navigation